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Yachting Glossary - W

 

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wake  Moving waves, that a boat leaves behind it, when moving through water.
warp  Heavier lines (rope or wire) used for mooring, anchoring and towing.   May also be used to indicate moving (warping) a boat into position by pulling on a warp.
watch A division of crew into shifts.
waterline  A line painted on a hull which shows the point to which a boat sinks when it is properly trimmed (see BOOT TOP).
waterline length The length of the boat at the waterline.
waterlogged Completely filled with water.
watertight hatch Watertight doors. In the event of a hull breach, the hatches can be closed to seal off compartments on the affected portion of the boat.
waterway A river, canal or other body of water that boats can travel on.
way The progress of a boat. If a boat is moving it is considered to be "making way."
waypoint A specific location as defined by GPS, the Global Positioning System.
wear Sailing in a circle to change direction downwind to aviod a gybe. May also mean turning away from the wind, as in veer.
weather helm The tendency of a boat to head up toward the eye of the wind. The opposite of lee helm.
weather shore  The shore if wind blows strongly offshore
weigh To raise, as in to weigh anchor.
well  A chamber that houses a boats daggerboard.
west One of the 4 cardinal compass points. West is at 270° on a compass card.
west wind, westerly wind Wind coming from west.
wet locker A locker equiped with a drain so that wet clothes can be stored in it without damaging other objects in the boat.
wetted surface The amount of area of the hull, keel, rudder, and other objects that is under water.
wharf Also a quay. A section parallel to the shore for docking and unloading vessels.
wheel One of two methods used to steer a boat. A wheel is turned in the direction that the helmsman wants the boat to go. On smaller boats a tiller is usually used, which steers in the opposite manner.
whip To bind the strands of a line with a small cord.
whisker pole   A short spar, normally kept stowed, which may be used to push the clew of a jib away from the boat when the boat is running downwind.
whistle buoy A navigational buoy with a whistle.
wide berth To avoid something by a large distance.
widow-maker  a term for the bowsprit (many sailors lost their lives falling off the bowsprit while tending sails).
winch  mechanical device for hauling in a line
winch pedestal An upright winch dri ... 
wind rose  a diagram usually shown on pilot charts that indicates the frequency and intensity of wind from different directions for a particular place
wind scoop A funnel used to force wind in a hatch and ventilate the below decks area.
windage The amount of a boat, sail or other object that the wind can push on.
windlass A mechanical device used to pull in cable or chain, such as an anchor rode.
window   A transparent portion of a jib or mainsail.
windward In the direction of the wind. Opposite of leeward.
wing and wing A method of running before the wind with two sails set. Usually the mainsail on one side and a headsail on the other, or one headsail on each side.
wishbone  A boom composed of two separate curved pieces, one on either side of the sail.   With this rig, sails are usually self tending and loose-footed.
work boat  A boat used for earning a living.
working sails The sails used on a particular sailboat in normal weather conditions.
working sheet The sheet that is currently taught and in use to control a sail. The opposite of the lazy sheet.